The present invention relates in general to indicia transfer apparatus and in particular to a stencil apparatus for stabilized yet removable affixation to the surface of a business form, as well as to a method for forming and affixing said stencil apparatus to such business forms.
While various stencil apparata have been utilized over the years in association with business forms most such stencil forms have comprised either a single flat sheet of stencil material or a single flat sheet of stencil material bonded to an upper frame, along the top of the stencil material, in an environment in which the frame adds stiffness to the stencil to prevent folding over, hanging up, etc.
In either of the two above-described prior art embodiments, however, drawbacks have been encountered with these conventional constructions. In particular, a "non-framed" or "top framed" stencil apparatus can present problems out of their manner of affixation to the business form while permitting relatively facilitated removal of the stencil when desired. By example, such prior art stencils have possessed and/or have promoted "flapping" of one or more of the edges of the stencil as the business form bearing the stencil is being processed, printed or utilized in either a computer or typewriter, thereby causing the stencil to either be "hung up" or ripped off the business form inadvertently.
Additionally with such prior art stencil assemblies the adhesive means through which the stencil was maintained in affixation to the upper surface to the business form would, on occasion, inadvertently cause the relatively fragile stencil material regions to stick to the business form, especially when the stencil, in its entirety, was removed thereby causing a separation, rip, tear or outright destruction of the stencil assembly at the time of desired removal.
Alternatively, such conventional stencil assemblies often involved discoloration of the business form made evident to the user upon removal of the stencil itself--arising out of the bonding adhesive coming into fluid contact with the carbon impregnated lower surface of the stencil material itself.
One such prior art frame stencil assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,926,113 describing a stencil assembly with a thin upper frame portion which, through undercutting, has attached thereto, at its bottom surface, the conventional stencil and carbon plys.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an improved stencil assembly which is more fixedly and restrainably attachable to the upper surface of a business form while enabling detachable removal of the entire stencil assembly in a facilitated manner.
It is additionally an object of the present invention to provide such a stencil apparatus which through segregation of adhesive and frame, precludes carbon discoloration of a business form as well as the potential for smearing and obliteration that could accompany same.
As a further object of the present invention, is provision of an improved removable stencil apparatus which is affixable to a business form in a manner which guards against the inadvertent "flapping" of any of the edges of the stencil assembly and which further prevents the inadvertent removal, hangup or outright destruction, through tearing, of the stencil assembly during further processing of the business form bearing the stencil itself.
As an additional object of the invention, is the provision of such a stencil assembly which actually promotes the clean, complete, facilitated separation of the stencil assembly from the business form leaving absolutely no evidence of carbon particle migration or discoloration--in an environment in which the stencil assembly itself is formed and affixed to the business form through a series of high speed continuous formation processes at substantially reduced cost and effort.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent in light of the present specification, drawings and claims.